Sunset
by give up twice
Summary: When InuYasha is seperated from his sword, he faces a battle within. But only when the sun goes down can he tame his demon blood. But can he protect the group when the sunrise comes?


**Sunset** by eight mile style  
  
Chapter One: **I'd Trade My Life**  
  
**Summary**: After trading Tetsusaiga for Kagome's life, InuYasha finds himself fighting a war with his own heart. Being separated from his sanity that was his sword, he finds that only at sunset can he control his demon blood enough for the true InuYasha shine through. But can he protect the group from himself after sunrise?  
  
**Rating**: PG-13 for violence and language  
  
**Pairings**: InuYasha/Kagome, Sango/Miroku  
  
**Warning**: I dislike Kikyou . . . there will be negative things headed her way. Kikyou fans better click your 'Back' buttons now. Seriously. Oo

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Tetsusaiga for Kagome. 

It was a simple trade really, one for the other. Yet he hesitated. Would he give up his most prized possesion - no, his sanity for her? He hissed, weighing his options again in his mind. Fighting wouldn't work, and Miroku and Sango were out cold.

Heavily saturated with blood, his demon ears arched forward, brushing the top of his head. Hell, his whole body had been long since dyed a deep red. His muscles were taunt, leaning heavily upon his sword. The tip had been burrowed into the ground to hold him up, the hilt grasped in a protective hold in his claws.

It was now or never.  
  
"I . . . I'll do it," he muttered, eyes cast downward.  
  
Was that his voice talking?  
  
Slowly, a smirk made it's way across Sesshomaru's face. It was a rare spectical; something that happened once in a blue moon when he cornered his prey and went in for the kill.  
  
"I knew you would see it my way," his calm voice dripped with contained happiness.  
  
One long glance cast into the shadows of the tree line where Ah and Un trotted their way to their master. Kagome lay on the dragons' back, draped over the scaly hide to stop her from falling off.  
  
InuYasha stared at her peaceful face, dislodging his sword. Strained, he lifted it, stummbling a few feet before regaining control. He handed the hilt to his brother.  
  
"See you sometime, brother," the demon remained emotionless as he spoke, even as he took hold of his new weapon. No, he would be able to weild the sword for he had his human to protect. His unforgiving eyes softened in the slightest as they traveled over to the young girl waiting for him.  
  
Yes, he would take care of her.  
  
Kagome's eyes snapped open, gazing into a faceful of dirt and something wet and sticky. The miko shook her head to clear the feeling, trying to remember. InuYasha and .. Sesshomaru!  
  
Immeadiatly she was released from the spell that held her and fumbled around to gain footing. Where was he?  
  
"InuYa --"  
  
She didn't have to look very far. Her savior lay fallen in a small lake of blood, his golden eyes lifeless and unfocused. Was it possible? That somehow he . . .  
  
Kagome blinked back the hot rush of tears, a panic rising in her chest. The school girl whipped around looking for anything, desperately needed someone, anyone. "Sango! Miroku! Shippou?!"  
  
But as if awakened by her voice, InuYasha began to glow. It was almost sinister as his ears twitched violently. Dark streaks appeared on his face mirroring Sesshomaru's own. A deep rumble erupted in the hanyou's through that soon broke into full out laughter.  
  
Kagome was staring blankly. He was alive?  
  
Then something clicked. He was a demon. Well, demon blood anyway. His instincts must have taken over an --  
  
He suddenly lunged, claws extended and swiping at the air where Kagome had stood.  
  
He growled in frustration as his prey sprinted off the the other direction. He would chase. Feet flying, he darted across the landscape. It was rocky, but that didn't stop him from stepping across each one of them.  
  
He was about to close in when . . .  
  
"Sit boy!"  
  
Why did his head hurt so much? His thoughts were jumbled and confused, and he felt as if he was being sawed in half. Fuzzy canine ears perked at the sound of Kagome's voice. He was sure it was her and Sango.  
  
He attempted to lift his head but soon found something was holding him down. The hanyou blinked until his vision until his vision became semi clear. The sun was just resting on the horizon, lingering for the last rays of the day.  
  
Again he tried he raise his body. No luck. But it didn't seem like the wounds were stopping him. It was more of something . . . inside.  
  
The voices continued, unaware of his presence.  
  
InuYasha racked his brain for some memory of what had happened. Something about his brother, that he was sure. But still, he couldn't remember for the life of him what had occurred after that.  
  
Vanishing along to the other side of the planet, the sun dipped away leaving them to the solitude of darkness. The sky was painted a wide palette of colours that ranged from white to black, red to midnight blue.  
  
Something snapped at that moment and he hauled himself up with speed that even surprised him. He caught some startled gasps from the two girls. Not long after heavy footfall reached his delicate hearing.  
  
"Inu . . . Yasha?" she sounded hesitant and looked ready to run at any given moment. A pang of hurt tossed around in the pit of his stomach, but that was nothing compared to what he saw when he looked down.  
  
Blood was oozing down his chest and arms, red dripping from his hair and claws . . .  
  
Had he killed somebody? He couldn't remember.  
  
"Kagome, are you alright?"  
  
However out of personality it seemed for him to ask such a question, a nagging feeling blurted it out for him. When there was no answer he snorted, turning his head to the side. That was a mistake. He groaned and teetered to the side in danger of falling over.  
  
She gasped slightly and steadied him. That look in her eyes was starting to annoy him. He wasn't going to die or anything.  
  
"Would ya just tell me already?" Clearly he could be insensitive even when in pain and confusing. That was always a reassuring thought.  
  
Kagome froze at the words, giving a worried glance over at the empty forest that Sango had disappeared into. She knew he wouldn't remember his actions. Too much blood had been lost. Even now the red liquid leaked steadily through the bandages.  
  
After her 'sit' he had finally given in to the strain on his body. It was bound to happen sooner or later. But he was back for good, right?  
  
"You . . gave up your . . . sword," she muttered in a voice that was hardly loud enough for herself to hear. But he caught the words all the same and realization dawned on him like lightning.  
  
No sword. No sanity.

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**Ending Note**: A kick off to the fic I've been meaning to post for a looooong time. If anyone has already done this plot then I'm sorry. Haven't read anything like it though . . . This story was though up by my Nameless muse, so it doesn't get rapid ideas. ; Might be a little before another update. I have the prologue and chapter one written for 'Flowers' but I'm waiting to get two before posting . . .  
  
Be nice? Leave a review? Flames make nice warmth. You waste them on me. 


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